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^ THE GLASS FACTORY. ^
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@#&%^†^¨¨¨ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND A GIFT SHOP. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CONSIDERED POOR. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#@#&%^†^¨¨ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¨¨^†^%&#@#
##@#&%^†^¨ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¨^†^%&#@##
#@#&%^†^¨¨ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¨¨^†^%&#@#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ^^ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ^^ ^^ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ »»»»»»» ^ ^ »»»»»»» ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ ^^ ^^ ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ ^^ ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#@#&%^†^¨¨ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ¨¨^†^%&#@#
##@#&%^†^¨ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ¨^†^%&#@##
#@#&%^†^¨¨ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ¨¨^†^%&#@#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#@#&%^†^¨¨ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ¨¨^†^%&#@#
##@#&%^†^¨ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ¨^†^%&#@##
#@#&%^†^¨¨ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ¨¨^†^%&#@#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ^^ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ ^^ ^^ ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ »»»»»»» ^ ^ »»»»»»» ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ ^^ ^^ ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ ^^ ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#@#&%^†^¨¨ ¨¨^†^%&#@#
##@#&%^†^¨ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ¨^†^%&#@##
#@#&%^†^¨¨ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ¨¨^†^%&#@#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#@#&%^†^¨¨ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ¨¨^†^%&#@#
##@#&%^†^¨ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ¨^†^%&#@##
#@#&%^†^¨¨ ¨¨^†^%&#@#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FLOOR. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#@#&%^†^¨¨ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¨¨^†^%&#@#
##@#&%^†^¨ ¨^†^%&#@##
#@#&%^†^¨¨ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ¨¨^†^%&#@#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BECOME STILL. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ^^ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ^^ ^^ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ »»»»»»» ^ ^ »»»»»»» ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ^^ ^^ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ^^ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#@#&%^†^¨¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨¨^†^%&#@#
##@#&%^†^¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨^†^%&#@##
#@#&%^†^¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨^†^%&#@#
@#&%^†^¨¨¨ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¨¨¨^†^%&#@
#&%^†^¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨^†^%&#
&%^†^¨¨¨¨¨ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¨¨¨¨¨^†^%&
%^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^%
^†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†^
†^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^†
^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
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